Welcome to the First Year Blog!
This week, the First Years have been their usual busy selves, with some exciting visitors to Biology Club (more below!), and lots of clubs to visit if they tired of the 3G. This Thursday, the whole school paused to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day. The boys watched a thought-provoking video put together by the school’s Genocide 80Twenty group, who had researched the lives and fates of a group of Jewish children in Herne, Germany. The First Years then spent some time exploring the life of one survivor, Gunter, and writing letters to him in the USA.
Super Snakes
This week, Biology Club had some additional visitors! Mr Hunt, one of Hampton’s groundstaff, brought in his snake collection, including some beautiful ball pythons. By the look of it, the boys had a ssssuper time, though it was a bit of a ‘squeeze’ to get all the boys in the lab! Isaac H(1J) tells us more:
Mr Hunt, one of the Hampton School Groundsmen, told us all about his collection of ball python snakes and even brought some in for us to have a closer look at. He explained that they’re not poisonous and never bite. We got to hold a lots of different ball pythons, they were different colours and sizes. They were very calm and definitely didn’t bite! They felt scaly, soft and squishy and were very warm. It was my first time at Biology Club and I would definitely go again.
Take a look at the video below to see how the boys enjoyed handling the fascinating snakes:
Take a look at some more of the photos from this week’s Biology Club here.
CHRISTMAS CONCERT MAGIC
This week, in a throwback to December (it feels like so long ago!), Alex L (1J) reminisces about the Christmas Concert, in which the First Years performed two numbers:
Most people arrived at 6:45 pm in the Sports Hall – as needed. Whilst we were waiting for the first half of the concert to finish the teachers decided to do a festive quiz. This quiz didn’t go on for long, as soon it was time to go on stage and sing two joyful songs. The audience smiled as we sang bringing the atmosphere a few weeks forward to Christmas itself. Finally, we finished and went into the Lecture Theatre to watch a movie. We also were given delicious snacks which were: a Freddo chocolate bar and raspberry juice. The funny and enjoyable movie was sadly finishing as parents were piling up outside the door, waiting to pick us up. Just like that everyone stepped into the open with the Christmas spirit in their hearts.
I entered the sports hall at six forty-five
This was the time for most people to arrive
Teachers told us that a quiz is about to begin
My form and I really wanted to win
When we were told to go on stage
Our audience felt the opposite of rage
Finally when we began to sing
The sound was like a bell ring
Eventually when we sang the last words
The enormous room echoed with applause
We walked to the lecture theatre to watch a movie
With a freddo and raspberry juice that tasted like a smoothie
Eventually, the movie was coming to an end
The parents waited just around the bend
As I exited the territory of school
I remembered one thing: that it was very cool
Hampton Sports Chronicle
Two great match reports on HSC this week from some of our budding sports journalists. Rufus L tells us about a 4-3 victory for the U12A team against Dulwich College here and Josh M-J reports on a tight encounter for the U12D team here.
TUTEE OF THE WEEK
Each week, Tutors in the First Year team nominate a boy who they have been particularly impressed with and Mr Hill and Mrs Peattie will provide the boy with a football to use on the 3G for the week!
This week’s Tutee of the Week is Thomas D (1H). Thomas’s proactive attitude and helpfulness towards others have really impressed his teachers. Well done, Thomas!
SPECIAL SHOUT OUTS!
Danai T (1J) has recently been selected to play viola in the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain. Danai has already had musical success, singing in the National Boys’ Choir, and to have a place in a second national ensemble is a great achievement. Well done, Danai!
We love to hear about what you have been getting up to outside of school. Please do send any information about any of your achievements through to Mrs Ziegler (h.ziegler@hamptonschool.org.uk).
FIRST YEAR FIVE QUESTIONS
We had an impressive 22 entries for this week’s First Year 5 Questions. 1L are this week’s champions with five entries! Well done to everyone who entered!
1F: Ishaan A, Tom S, Theo T
1J: Lucas Z, Nihal B
1B: Theo L, Hamza Y, Oliver C
1P: Thomas Q, Matteo B, Aarav D
1W: Oliver S, Leonardo F, James P, Ethan M
1L: Joe T, Dominic N, Haadi H, Ollie C, William O’S
1H: Arthur L-P, Huw P
Take a look at this week’s questions – have a go yourself or challenge people at home and see if they know the answer. Merits are awarded for everyone who has a go! Just click on the link below and enter your answers; points for the Interform Competition will be awarded to the form with the most entries every week.
- What’s the chemical symbol for silver?
- Which is older: the pyramids at Giza or Stonehenge?
- For what film did Steven Spielberg win his first Oscar for Best Director?
- What is the highest active volcano in Europe?
- In which sport do competitors refer to ‘catching a crab’?
Why don’t you have a go and enter your answers here.
Remember to write your name in the form so you can be credited with merits!
Take a look at next week’s blog to find out the answers and which Form is crowned our weekly champion.
And here are the answers to last week’s 5 questions:
- How many spice options are there at Nandos? 6 – Plain…(ish), Passion Fruit and Mango, Lemon and Herb, Medium, Hot, Extra Hot
- What part of a plant conducts photosynthesis? Leaf
- Which Scottish actress plays Nebula in the Guardians of the Galaxy series of films? Karen Gillan
- Which two houses were involved in the War of the Roses? York, Lancaster
- What is the capital of New Zealand? Wellington